Why Me?
by Onceuponatimebiggestfan
Summary: Ever since she'd been thrown in jail Emma had imagined her reunion with Neal. She'd punch him, maybe even scream and kick, anything to express her anger. But never in a million years did she imagine they'd kiss. AU Set in Manhattan, how I wanted it to go.


**SPOILER IN THE AUTHORS NOTE ABOUT 2x21 One shot, might do another chapter if the reviews ask. :) needed some swanthief after the episode last night. Anyone want to write an AU where Neal doesn't fall in the portal? I am going to start one once this is published.**

* * *

Emma Pov

Emma took in a deep relaxing breath and charged forward, knocking Baelfire to the ground.

Blocking out the throbbing pain in her leg, Emma smiled victoriously at the man's hoodie. She had him cornered, no more running for her.

That was before he groaned audibly and whipped his head around to meet Emma's triumphant eyes.

Her broad grin deflated to something more of a frown and the gloaty air covering her face mutated to a much more annoyed emotion that clearly read: why does this always happen to me?

Emma's poor head was still pounding when Neal croaked out a very happy sounding, "Emma?"

The said woman figured the only polite thing to do was to answer back, so she poured as much exasperation, anger, and venom into her 'answer' as it was possible.

"Neal?"

Neal obviously didn't hear her voice correctly because he didn't leave and become begone from her life forever as her tone suggested, but instead continued to talk.

"It's not what it seems. I... I am so sorry. I regret that decision every single second. I never ever forgot about you, contrary to whatever you think."

Emma's mouth was slightly ajar after Neal's little 'speech'.

_I regret that decision every single second. I never forgot about you. I am so sorry._

Emma found herself quite emotional over what he said, though Neal was most certainly lying. Or was he?

Emma squinted her eyes and tried to stay strong. No way would she show any weakness in front of Neal.

He was currently fiddling with his jacket's zipper and staring at the paved cobblestone, making it easy to tell Emma was making him nervous.

Really nervous.

Emma, on the other hand, did NOT take this as sweet. Instead she was practically screaming at him with her eyes to stop it.

Because he was going to make her cry. And Emma Swan did not cry in front of strangers.

Especially the type of strangers that she secretly knew, but hated so much they were just counted as strangers in her head.

Emma blinked back tears for the billionth time and attempted to stop a flashback from appearing before her eyes, something that would surely open her floodgates.

Emma gulped as she reminisced (though she wouldn't admit it was enjoyable) about her days in the yellow bug.

* * *

Henry Pov

Henry studied the surface of his hotdog. It wasn't the most entertaining thing to do, but the ones ranked higher on the fun level reminded him too much of his mom.

She had been gone for ten long minutes by now, and that was surely too long to just capture a guy and bring it back to the spot the chase had begun, wasn't it?

Henry took a bite of his hot dog and tried hard to get lost in it's juicy flavor.

It lasted for five seconds. Henry took in an exaggerated breath and turned to Mr. Gold.

"What time is it now?"

The old man sighed and looked very seriously down at Henry. "You asked me that 30 seconds ago. Your mom shouldn't be too much longer with Bae."

Henry slumped on the bench. "I know. I'm just so worried! It doesn't take this long in movies to get the guy!"

Mr. Gold rose an eyebrow at Henry's outburst. "Movies aren't that reliable."

Henry gave him a small pout. "Please can we check if she's not back by 12 minutes? Pleeeeaaase?"

Surprisingly, Mr. Gold fell susceptible to Henry's cute fake face and nodded in agreement. Henry took this as a good chance to check the time.

"So, want to tell me the time now?"

* * *

Emma Pov

FLASHBACK

They were at an old bookstore, trying to stock up on material to entertain themselves with when their long road trip to Tallahassee beagan.

Emma had made Neal promise that he wouldn't over-exaggerate about 'how badly he had to use the restroom and how it also just happened that he was near-sighted, so it was impossible for him to read the clearly printed sign and needed assistance to reach the bathroom' like the last time they had pulled what they called 'the bathroom hoax.'

Once deals were sealed, they entered the shop, Emma lingering at the back while Neal hopped pathetically from one foot to the other towards the checkout counter.

She smiled adoringly at him, then busied herself in finding an abandoned aisle.

Weirdly enough, the only completely human free section was a small corner with a collection of books written by Wilhelm Grimm.

Emma smiled in satisfaction, fairy tales were her favorites because they gave the illusion that there were happy endings in the world, and Emma felt like she was proof of that hopeful dream.

She _was_ going to take her time with the pick, but Neal's failing acting skills were easy to cringe at from her spot.

"But, I'm telling you, I have to pee and can't see the way towards the bathroom!"

"I already told you, it's that way!"

"But I can't be sure I won't trip over something!"

"Then why don't you ask the lady you came in holding hands with for help?"

"Uhhhhh..."

"Just what I thought. Now scram!"

Emma stuffed two fortunately thin paperbacks in her purse and ran after the dejected looking Neal.

"Come on Honey, we can always find a gas station for you to pee at." Emma smirked at Neal's incredulous expression and skipped ahead of him towards the bug.

Once both safely inside, Emma revealed her steal.

She found herself just as curious as Neal because of her quick grab, and was very happy when she found one of the books she had snagged was Snow White.

Emma didn't notice Neal's alarmed look at the supposed fairytale.

"Ooooh, look this one's a classic! Rumpelstiltskin!"

Emma handed the slim volume to Neal whose eyes where wide and shocked.

Emma supposed it was from the surprise of getting something as a present, since after all they both didn't exactly get spoiled as kids in the foster system.

Neal's brown eyes lifted off the book's cover slowly, and croaked a small and nervous thank you.

END FLASHBACK

Emma couldn't help it. She stumbled over to the wall closest to her and started a fest of big and silent sobs.

That was exactly one day before her life had felt like it had ended. Exactly one day before she was sent to juvie, a day before she was accused and convicted of stealing those pricey watches.

Emma's sobs soon became louder, and Neal's head jumped up to see her leaning against the ground and wall, hysterical.

As much as Emma didn't want Neal to be her source of comfort, he was all she had.

So she didn't object when he slid down next to her, or when he patted her back awkwardly.

Emma could've gone on sobbing until she ran out of water to cry with, but that fantasy was crushed when Neal spoke.

"You know, the only reason I let you go was because I wanted you to fulfill your destiny. Find your parents. Get a second chance of life. I was told you couldn't do that with me by your side. And... and I knew how much you wanted all of that."

Emma froze up at his revealing words. She tried to fill in the awkward silence by sobbing some more, but her body refused to just leave him hanging like that.

Wiping away tears and wincing at how her voice shook, she talked back. "You know, didn't it ever occur to you that I wanted _you?"_

Once she said that, the hope in Neal's eyes made her want to regret it immediately. The problem was that she didn't regret it. Not one bit.

Emma stared back at him. They stood there in silence, both looking unblinkingly at each other.

The tension in the air was building and Emma knew only one way to fix it when that feeling was between herself and Neal.

When they were still young and planning lives together, it was almost always fixed with a kiss. But no way would she use that method with Neal now to stop the accumulating tension.

Emma looked into Neal's eyes and could tell he was thinking of the same thing. So now the very thing that used to cease tension was causing it.

She let out a frustrated groan, but determinedly kept looking at Neal. Emma cursed the stubborn person she was and tried to look away.

An internal battle broke out in her brain, some sort of war. Seeing as her stubbornness had only itself while Emma's other personality types were united, her stubborn side lost tragically.

Once she tried to pull away, she saw a spark of some sort of emotion, maybe bravery, light in Neal's eyes.

Emma didn't turn her head quick enough after that ignition. Soon Neal was kissing her, and Emma hated the fact that she wasn't pulling away.

* * *

Mr. Gold Pov

Mr. Gold checked his watch yet again to tell Henry the time. Once done, the boy had scrunched up his face in concentration.

"That means it's been 12 minutes! Come on! We have some tracking to do!"

He excitedly jumped up, hotdog in hand, and beckoned for Mr. Gold to follow him. Not ever in his 300 or so years had he seen someone so excited about something like this than Bae.

The old man smiled and followed Henry down the street they had seen Emma disappear in. If Mr. Gold tried, he could easily picture himself following Bae across the Enchanted Forest, happy to spend time with his father.

Ah, the wonders of imagination.

Mr. Gold trailed after the boy, who kept choosing the pathway to take from what he said was his instinct.

After a couple of minutes, Henry declared a snack break and hungrily devoured the last of his hot dog.

Mr. Gold tapped his cane impatiently, watching Henry eat was not as entertaining and as calming as one would think.

"Do you think they went to that alley or that one? My instincts say the one on the right. Hurry up! What are you waiting for?"

They both went through the one on the boy's right hand side and stopped in silence right before the entrance.

Because Miss Swan and Bae- this time it most certainly was him- were kissing just feet away.

Henry was covering his eyes in a childlike manner, but underneath his hands his mouth was shaped in a perfect circle.

Mr. Gold, however, was wondering when and how his son and Henry's mother had met, because total strangers don't randomly kiss each other in either Fairytale world _or_ this world up to his knowledge.

Meanwhile, Emma had opened her eyes, and seen what probably looked like her son and The Dark One walking in on her kissing the Dark One's son.

She broke off from Bae and with her eyes as big as saucers, she muttered a quiet but noticeably frustrated, "Why me?"


End file.
